After an early scare and in heat so fierce it was breathtaking, Ireland did exactly what was expected against Romania in Bordeaux.
Opening a World Cup campaign in which they are considered among the favorites with a 74-point, 12-try victory brightened the day for the thousands of fans forced to endure long queues and winding tram rides to the Stade de Bordeaux in the eastern suburbs endure the city.
They had a hot and sticky start to an afternoon that ended in delight, serenading their heroes for a job well done.
Irish fans dominated the crowd of 41,170, but many were not in their seats as Romania took the lead after two minutes, with their lively scrum-half Gabriel Rupanu taking advantage of lax defense to shoot over.
This was part of a shaky Irish start that also saw their lineout crack, but order was restored by half-time and Ireland led by 25 points.
Bundee Aki put in a stunning performance in Ireland’s victory over Romania, scoring two tries
Johnny Sexton scored a 24-point haul in the win to move closer to the Irish scoring record
Tadhg Beirne was one of four Irish players to cross multiple times on Saturday
They went wild in the second half as substitutes arrived and fatigue started to set in, but just as important as recording a routine win was doing so while keeping everyone fit.
Robbie Henshaw retired from the bench late on and his place was taken by Mack Hansen, but Bundee Aki was sensational in the centre, and even if Henshaw recovers, he seems unlikely to break the partnership between Aki and Garry Ringrose due to the greater challenges that are yet to come.
Johnny Sexton stayed true to the form of his long career as he returned from layoff for the umpteenth time and immediately lived up to his highest standards.
He scored two points as part of a 24-point run and is now just ten points away from breaking Ronan O’Gara’s overall Irish scoring record.
It was excellent from the playmaker and while the opposition must be taken into account, it will have been a huge cheer for Andy Farrell to see his key player excel.
Another veteran went on a rampage as Peter O’Mahony finished the day with three tries, part of a record-breaking run of twelve tries, which surpassed Ireland’s old record of ten World Cup tries, scored against Namibia in 2003.
The 74-point winning margin is also a new Irish record for this tournament, but the truth is that a romp like this is of limited value given the meetings with South Africa and Scotland that await us.
It is the matches, together with the meeting between the two in Marseille tonight/tomorrow, that will decide this group.
However, the importance of such a run-out lies in the confidence it gives Farrell and his players for those bigger days.
Romania took the lead after two minutes when Gabriel Rupanu took advantage of lax defense
Peter O’Mahony finished the day with three tries in Ireland’s record twelve
Surviving the conditions was also no easy feat. It has been a focus of planning all summer, to the extent that the record temperatures here have not derailed the Irish situation.
The extent of their planning was actually clear even before the anthems. The teams lined up in the sunshine, but the Irish players stepped forward a few yards into the shade of the stand, soon followed by the Romanians, while the mascots remained standing in a temperate 34 degrees Celsius at kick-off . .
At the first water break, the Irish players were given drinks and ice packs from large coolers, with some players also having cold towels pressed to their necks.
The heat was absolutely incredible, and besides the players, those who suffered most were the unfortunate supporters whose match tickets had left them in the front seats of two of the stands in direct light.
The sun was also part of Romania’s survival strategy as they aimed their restarts towards the sunniest part of the pitch, forcing the Irish players to look into the sun.
It was a smart survival tactic, but their best hope of staying close in the first half was Ireland’s rustiness.
Aspects of their play that lagged in the warm-up series still need attention, particularly the lineout. Ireland lost three throws, while Romania challenged fiercely with every ball.
James Lowe kicked two early balls flat out, passes were misjudged and balls bounced off the heads of the intended target.
The lack of fluidity was both understandable and frustrating, but the extent to which the heat was a factor cannot be understated.
Laptops jammed in the shaded press seats and phones refused to charge. Locals gasped in temperatures 10 degrees higher than normal in September.
Lowe could be forgiven for misjudged kicks, especially since he spent the first 40 minutes continuously in the bright light.
The sharp edges of the first half will give Andy Farrell and his coaches plenty to do
After the embarrassment of Gabriel Rupanu’s opening try, Ireland responded with five tries before half-time. Jamison Gibson-Park, Peter O’Mahony, Tadhg Beirne, the outstanding Bundee Aki and Sexton scored, but in converting his just before the half-time whistle, Sexton was tackled by Jason Tomane, a brother of his former Leinster teammate. Joe.
The contact didn’t seem significant, but when Sexton stood up, he held his left hand. It was a sight to behold to cause a shiver even in this cauldron, but he kicked the conversion and when the half-time whistle blew he walked away without a care in the world.
Sexton led Ireland back out for a second half that saw the gap between the teams widen.
Rob Herring, O’Mahony, Aki, Joe McCarthy and Beirne scored again and with 30 minutes to play the benches began to empty.
The supporters who had waited so long to get in were determined to stay and enjoy an increasingly giddy atmosphere.
Ireland’s performance continued to improve, the last wisps of a Romanian challenge had long evaporated and there were no further visits to the infirmary.
There is still work to be done, and the jagged edges evident in the first half will give Farrell and his coaches plenty to do for the trip to Nantes in six days’ time.
But this was a start that Farrell could have scripted: there was still plenty to do, but his captain and talisman moved with the menace of old.
And after what happened in Paris on Friday evening, the value of replenishing this group has only increased. The winners of Pool B will play against the number two of Pool A and that now certainly seems to be New Zealand.
Sexton’s continued importance means it is crucial to keep their captain fit and in shape
It seems bizarre to see that as the least worst option, but France relied on a powerful mix of pragmatism and panache to beat the All Blacks, and they have a power play that Ireland, at their best and with a fully fit squad, can produce its disposal, would still find it an enormous challenge.
As expected, the battle against the South Africans on September 23 will be crucial.
This was quite a tune-up, but the biggest takeaway was Sexton’s continued importance. For him, Ireland is the real deal.
Keeping him fit and in this shape is as important as ever before.